In a bold attempt to protect young girls from hypersexualization, the French Senate has approved a ban on beauty pageants for children under 16. The ban, which won with a vote of 197 to 146, is part of an amendment to a broader gender-equality bill.

Penalties for not adhering to the ban, allegedly include potential jail time and a fine of $40,000 for any person who enables or encourages a child’s participation in a beauty pageant. I would guess this fine is aimed at parents.

That report called for a ban on padded bras and high heeled shoes for kids as well as an end to child beauty contests. It also called for making the use of young models in advertising campaigns illegal.

“Jouanno said young girls were being disguised as “sexual candy” in a competition over appearance, beauty and seduction, which she said was “contrary to the dignity of the human being” and a step backwards in the battle for sex equality.”

Jouanno is concerned about the collective dangers of allowing children to form their identities amid a culture of “regressed sexual equality” not to mention the bombardment of hypersexual stereotypes found in music, video games, and reality television.

“It is extremely destructive for a girl between the age of 6 and 12 to hear her mother say that what’s important for her is to be beautiful,” Chantal Jouanno, the ban’s champion, said Wednesday. “We are fighting to say: What counts is what they have in their brains.”

I think this woman, Chantal Jouanno, just became my hero. I say that after having walked my two daughters to school this morning with the lyrics of the most offensive, most insidious, song of the summer stuck in my head.

Holding my 7 year old’s hand as we walked down a sunlit dirt road to school, while the phrase, “You’re a good girl. I know you want it,” going through my head was more than a little disturbing.

The objectify-women-for-profit mentality is everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Is banning child beauty pageants the answer? I don’t know. But I wouldn’t cry if child beauty pageants disappeared from the face of the earth never to return.

That would make one less ridiculous thing to have to explain to my kids.

It’s kind of sad that we have to create laws to protect children from their own parents sexualizing them. Pageants are just a more ostentatious example of a bigger problem. Having a 14 year old step daughter it is almost impossible to find clothing for her that doesn’t show something it shouldn’t. Let alone for myself! But then again, if we didn’t buy into that kind of mentality, they probably would sell different clothes…

Danasays:

September 19, 2013 at 11:39 am

How about not listening to that song? I am aware of it but have never heard it. Did you buy it? Are you supporting the artist? Are you just as guilty of giving money to misogyny as the people buying lingerie for children? These are questions we need to ask ourselves daily – are we sending mixed messages to our girls?

I did not buy this song and don’t ever intend to. In order not to have ever heard it, however, even out in the sticks where I live, I would have to keep my fingers in my ear and say “la la la la la la la” all day long.

Danielle Asays:

September 19, 2013 at 12:10 pm

I appreciate the ban. Vive la france

Lindasays:

September 19, 2013 at 12:13 pm

I do not believe in having little girls growing up so fast. Who wants to have their children (particularly little girls)dressing up like grown women? It is unfortunate there are pedophiles in this world, but why add fuel to that fire? As for what I have seen on television, do you really wonder why little girls are growing up in the world with with attitudes of “It’s all about me?” or the fact they are self-centered and parents cannot deal with them when they are teens. I think it is time to let children be children and let the older girls become the princesses.

KMsays:

September 19, 2013 at 12:54 pm

I wish they would ban them in the US as well. I think they are disgusting and disturbing. How is a little girl supposed to feel about herself when you tell her that in order to be beautiful she has to have fake teeth, tons of makeup, hair extentions, waxed or plucked eyebrows, and a spray tan??

I’m all for little girls playing with makeup and even trying to pluck an eyebrow (and then giving up once they realize how much it hurts). But beauty pageants are insane. The hair, the makeup, the stupid dances, the dress–how is any of it supposed to be good for a child?

valerie williamssays:

September 19, 2013 at 1:55 pm

HALF THESE BABYS DON’T EVEN WANT TO DO IT !!! I’VE WATCHED A COUPLE AND IT MADE ME WANT TO SMACK THE BLOODY MOTHER OF ONE CHILD WHO ONLY GOT TO BE THE PRINCESS OF THE PAGEANT THE SO CALLED MOTHER TOOK IT OF HER CHILDS HEAD AND BROKE IT AND THREW IT ON THE FLOOR AND THEN STORMED OF THEY SHOULD BAN THEM IN ALL COUNTRYS ONCE AND FOR ALL .

Way to go France, I wish the US and all the other countries would follow suit. It is a shame to see little girls posing with all that makeup, revealing clothing and them attempting to pose in sexy suggestive poses. Just feeds the fire for the perverts out there. My daughter will not be one of those.

Amanda B.says:

September 19, 2013 at 4:35 pm

I think the pageants are ridiculous, but I would never be for banning them, since I’m an American and believe in freedom.

PacificPreschoolsays:

September 20, 2013 at 12:15 am

Is banning child beauty pageants the answer? The question remains the same until our society doesn’t change their mentality of objectify-women-for-profit. It is really a shame to see little girls giving sexy poses on the stage and it’s embarrassing too. Child beauty pageants should be very simple and they should present a child just like a child, not like a model.

Rachelsays:

September 20, 2013 at 6:25 am

Child pageants wouldn’t exsist if parents didn’t put their girls in for them. Girls should not have to grow up so quickly. So way to go France.

Lisasays:

September 20, 2013 at 6:38 am

Amanda B.-Freedom to exploit children? What about the child’s rights? We are not free to do whatever we want in America, there are still laws. It’s illegal to molest a child, why shouldn’t it be illegal to exploit a child?

Amanda B.says:

September 20, 2013 at 9:57 am

Lisa – I would imagine that parents who put their children in these pageants don’t think they are exploiting them. Are parents who let their children model, act, participate in highly competitive sports, dance or cheerleading etc. also exploiting their children? Where would the argument end? Even though some may find these pageants unseemly, they are not bad enough to warrant government intervention in a society based on the concept of ordered liberty. Also, comparing it to molestation is nonsensical.

Lisasays:

September 20, 2013 at 2:42 pm

I disagree. These pageants have a clear sexual spin to them. They are sending the message that beauty and sexiness are what is important. Your examples are not in the same ball park, in my opinion. An adult’s ‘freedom’ does not trump the freedom of a child’s.

Melissasays:

September 20, 2013 at 3:17 pm

They are teaching the girls its all about how they look. They are also enticing pedophiles. There is no reason a little girl should look sexy like a grown woman. Let kids be kids!!!!

bellasays:

September 20, 2013 at 4:24 pm

I agree with you 100% Lisa!

Amanda B.says:

September 20, 2013 at 8:59 pm

Good luck trying to get them banned in the US then, Lisa. I think you will find, however, that trying to make something illegal just because it sends a bad message isn’t really feasible in our society, now should it be. The government is involved in our lives enough already. There is no need to micro manage parents in this way, even of these pageants are ridiculous.

Amanda B.says:

September 20, 2013 at 9:00 pm

*nor, not now

vikkisays:

September 23, 2013 at 11:11 am

Not sure if legislation would be a good idea, but I really believe most, if not all, beauty pageants aren’t good for the women who are in them, 6 or 16 or 26. Puts the wrong emphasis on a woman. She is only worthwhile if she measures up to a narrow view of beauty. As I age I realize that the little old ladies (and men) with the wrinkled faces are in reality beautiful. I love how most European countries allow their women to age. I grew up with an eating disorder and bad feelings about myself because I didn’t look like a model. Now in my 50s I realize I was beautiful all along. I would like to see parents instill this in their children. I have a niece who participates in beauty pageants and truthfully I wish she was able to just be a little girl. My opinion only, I realize there are others out there.

jjsays:

October 18, 2013 at 4:09 am

I’m not a parent but I cringe at seeing kids presented as adults, particularly in media and fashion magazines like Vogue Bambini (Italian Vogue showing kids in overpriced clothing). Aren’t they allowed to have a childhood?

I’m a northerner, so I can’t comment on traditions such as the “southern debutante” or cultural ceremonies but popularity contests are no longer tolerated now that the pressure is beyond most people’s ability to cope (referring to the recent suicides over cyber bullying).

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